Runic Summons are special abilities used by Atreus and Freya in God of War Ragnarök. Atreus uses spectral animals like a rampaging ibex and one of Ratotaskr's emotions, whereas Freya uses her blades and magic. They can put the hurt on foes, clearing out large swathes of them, or can get Kratos out of trouble should a battle start going sideways. But when do Atreus and Freya unlock the ability to use said skills?
How to use Runic Summoning in God of War Ragnarök
In the case of Atreus, he'll get his first Runic Summon after the first go around in Alfheim. This is a little way into the game, so patience is required. As for Freya, she will come equipped with a Runic Summon by default. There are four Runic Summons for each character, many of which are found in legendary chests or are rewards for completing favors. As such, it's rewarding if players venture off the beaten path.
Players must press the Square Button to use a Runic Summon when playing as Kratos. Otherwise, when playing as Atreus, Hold L1 and press R2 to unleash the currently equipped Runic Summon. Don't forget that Runic Summons can also be leveled up, improving their damage and other effects, so dump some of those experience points into your favorite to really up the ante. That's all there is to using Runic Summons. Good luck in your journeys across the nine realms!
For more God of War goodies, check out How to get all Leviathan Axe Heavy Runic Attacks in God of War Ragnarök on Pro Game Guides.
Christian has been playing games since he could hold a controller in the late 80s. He's been writing about them for nearly 15 years for both personal and professional outlets. Now he calls Pro Game Guides home where he worships at the altar of Destiny 2.